Vehicle-spring.



M. M. MclNTYRE.

VEHICLE SPRING. APPLICATION FILED APR. 1. 1914.

Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

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UNITED STATES PA OFFICE.

MICHAEL H. MQINTYRE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE PERFECTION SPRING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A, CGRPORATZON Gill OHIO.

VEHICLE-SPRIN G.

Application filed April 1, 1914.

the axle of a vehicle and being pivotallyconnected at the middle portion to the frame, the opposite end of the spring being generally connected to the vehicle frame by a swinging link.

It is the general object of the invention to improve the connection between springs of this type and the axle and more particularly to provide a connection (and especially a driving connection which Will be more efli cient and less liable to break than is the case with the connections usually employed for this purpose.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention may be defined further as con sisting of the combinations of elements embodied in the claims hereto annexed and illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part hereof. wherein-- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of 31 spring constructed in accordance with my invention, part of the vehicle frame being shown in elevation and the axle being shown in section; while Figs. 2, 3, l, 5 andv 6 are sectional details illustrating modifications of the manner of connecting the endof the spring to the axle. p

Heretofore it has been the general prac tice to connect the end-of a cantaliver spring to the axle througha'single leaf of the spring, the leaf en'ip loyed being the main leaf or plate. W'he'n the spring is used the driving connection"between, the axle and the vehicle frame, this throws the driving strain upon one leaf only. Furthermore, in order to provide means for sec11ring'this single leaf to thespring seat on the ,axle, it has been customary to make the main plate considerably longer than the plate ncxt adjacent thereto, leaving the end of the main plate unreinforced. By the construction illustrated herein, it will be seen that I not Specification of Letters Yatent.

latented Oct. 5. 1915.

Serial No. 828,694.

only produce a better driving connection between the spring and the axle, but that l accomplish the result in such manner as not to interfere with the proper reinforcement of the end of the main plate.

Describing by reference characters the various parts illustrated herein. 1 denotes the axle and 2 the side frame of the body of a vehicle, such as an automobile.

3 and 4 denotes respectively the lower and upper members of a spring seat rotatably mounted upon the axle l. The upper member is provided with two pairs of lugs 5 and 3 projecting upw rdly therefrom and spaced apart longitudinally (that is in the direc tion of the length of :he g aring). Assuming that the axle 1 the rear axle of the vehicle, the lugs 5 the lugs (i rearwardly.

7 denotes generally the cantaliver spring and 7 the main plate thereof and 7 the plate or leaf next thereto. As is customary, the central portion of this spring is connected to a spring seat 9 by means of clips 9 and this spring seat is piioted on a bolt 10 carried by a bracket 11. which is secured to the side frame The front end of the spring (assuming that the spring is a rear spring) is connected to a pair of shackle links 1'2 depending from and pivotally sup ported by a bolt 13 projecting laterally from the side frame 2. The manner of supporting 522d connecting he middle of the spring and L'urfrom, end thereof is that ordinarily employed. The rea r end of the plate '7 is bent into an open hooh form, as shown at H. the upper and lovv branches of the book being substantially parallel. whereby the hook is adapted lo slide upon a block 15 mounted upon a pin ll extending between the lugs 53. The war end of the plate 7 is formed with an ey 5? hich embraces a pin in extending between t e lugs 8. It will be observed that the lugs 3 and are of snrh length and the g" o and ill a: a2."- wmged ihu thrv 7 di tance f th. last mcnt'ioncu'l pin i wide! of the axle great r l v th u of the u'min plate uioniomul pin, whereby 1h i is 1' than is the first these plates may be connected to their rclll l The driving connection between the axle and the spring is secured by the engagement of the plates 7" and 7" with their respective pins 16 and 18. It will be observed that, by this mode of connecting the spring to the axle, the plate 7 above the main plate and the otherplees 7, 7", etc, may be extended to their proper reinforcing positions without any interference or hindrance be cause of the manner of connecting the end of the spring with the axle. The sliding connection between the plate 7 and the pin 16 compensates for the relative longitudinal movement or creeping between the leaves and '4' as the spring is deflected downwardly and upwardly in Fig. there is shown a modification of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1 which dif i'ers from the invention of the earlier form in that the main plate 7 is connected with the pin 16 by means of a closed eye 19, the onnc-i: on. being the some with the plate 7 as is the case with the like-designated plate of Fig: 1.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a modification of the invention wherein both plates 7* and 7" are 'provp :d with the open eyes or hooks and slidnhly engaging blocks 15 and 15* mounted on the pins 16 and 1.8. In this case, the axle will be connected to the frame by means of radius rods, one of the'rods being indie tczi at 22.

t 1 there is shown a still further rnovli iration of the invention wherein the 'ipx'ing seat 3*, 4 on the axle, instead of being pim'ided with two singularly extending arm 1 is provided with two individual seats, located respectively in the plane of the lower surface of the plate '5 and in the plane of the lower surface of the plate 7". The seat for the first mentioned plate is indicated at and the seat for the second mentioned plate at 2%. In this'case, the plates 7" and 7* are shown as connected to their respective seats bymeans of rivets and 26 which are countersunk in the said plates, the opening 25 for the rivet 25 being elon' gated to accouimodate the creeping move ment between the plates 7 and 7".

In Fig. there is shown a. still further modification of the invention Whereiil the spring seat 3, 4" is connected to the main plate 7" through a short reinforcing plate 27. This plate rests on the flat top 28 of the spring seat and has an eye 29 at its front and which is mounted on 5 pin 30 extending between the opposite sides of a recess in the front of the spring seat. The main plate 7* is connected to the rear end of the spring seat by means of a bolt 31 which extends through the rear ends of the plates 7 and 27 and the rear end of the spring seat. The main plate is also connected to the plate 27 my mans of a rivet 32 which is shown as count, "sunk in both of said plates. This construction provides a reiufonwment for the main pl whereby to assist the letter in its dr v'lrig a ion and at the same time permits f e lg the rear ends of the spring pistes etc, to proper reinforcing position some the rear ends of the lower plates In Fig. there is sl'iown a still further inodifiw on invention, wherein the spring: or substantially identical. with that s in Fig. 1 but wherein the w ird to the pin 16 by a pirate 7 is connected to 01 a closed eye 33 exhing 34 which is bored tending s1 eccenl. i reception of the pin 18. he a r c onstruction shown in -13 the fact that both ill he used for driving purntiicity 0f the bushing )ensntes for the creepin e plate 7" and 7" due poses h P w automation l i i movero er t ":on. with a. rah-isle body v of ii spring cmnprising a rain puller 'liacent to the resin plate n means pivotally connecting: p rzion of said spring to the v onnecting' the end of e next adiced p rmain p tionnl T i at one means g tion of i n. with a vehicle body n sg'iring sent rciatably nd liavin 1 pair of cennwtins portions, ending: hevond the on a main plate and 5 ad acent thereto, means the central portion of no. and means connect min plate and the end of vent thereto to the coni the spring seat.

4. Th m i with :1 "chiclc body frame and u a of a spring: sent rotatably mounted on the axle and having a pair of longitudinally ml connecting portions. one or said "ring at a greater distance from": t on the other, a spring a or more plates additional comprising a urality of plates, means connecting the central or body portion of the spring to the frame, and means connecting the ends of two of the plates to the con necting portions of the spring 5. The combination, with a vehicle body frame and of a spring comprising a main plate and one or more plates additional thereto, means pivotally connecting the central or body portion of the spring to the frame, and means connecting two of the plates to the axle, one of such connections being a yielding connection v 6. The combination, with a vehicle body frame and axle, of a spring comprising a main plate and one or more plates additional thereto, means pivotally connecting the central or body portion of the spring to the frame, and means connecting the main plate and the plate adjacent thereto to the axle at longitudinally spaced points, one of such connections being a yielding connec' tion.

7. The combination, with a vehicle body frame and axle,'o'f a spring comprising a main plate and one or more plates additional thereto, means pivotally connecting the central portion of the spring to the frame, and means connecting the main plate and the plate adjacent thereto to the axle, the point of connection between the main plate and the axle being located nearer the center of the spring than the point of connection between the other plate and the axle, and said connections permitting a relative sliding movement between said plates.

The combination, with a vehicle body frame and axle, of a spring comprising a main plate and one or more plates additional thereto. means pivotally connecting the central portion of the spring to the frame, a spring scat upon the axle, and means connecting the main plate to said seat, the plate adjacent to the main plate extending beyond the point of connection of the spring seat and the main plate and re inferring the latter at such point.

9. The combination. with a vehicle body frame and axle, of a spring comprising main plate and one or more plates midi tional tl rate. means pivotaily connecting the central portion of the spring to the frame, means connecting the main plate to the axle, the plate adjacent to the main plate extending beyond the per it of connection of the main plate and axle and reinl orcing the m in plate at such point, and

means coon mg the end of the last men icliirlr body having its rein M to the i comprising a main plate I or more plates additional fill rs-li 9% the main plate being shorter than the plate next adjacent thereto, a spring seat rotatably mounted on the axle and having two longitudinally spaced connecting portions cooperating respectively witlrthe end of the main plate and the end of the plate adjacent thereto, and means connecting said plates to the spring seat.

11. The combination, with a vehicle body frame and axle, of a spring, means pivotally connecting the central portion of the spring to the frame, aspring seat rotatably mount ed upon the axle, said spring seat comprising two connecting 'portions which are spaced in the direction of the length of the spring, the connecting portion which is nearer the center Ofwtllfi spring projecting a shorter distance from the center ofthe axle than the other, means connecting the main plate of the spring with such shorter projecting portion of the spring seat, and means connecting the leaf adjacent to the main plate to the other portion of said seat.

12, The combination, with a vehicle body frame and axle, ol a spring, means pivotally connecti' g thcentral portion of the spring to the frame, a spring seat rotatably mounted upon .ie axle and having two connecting portions spaced apart in the direc tion of the length of the spring, and means connecting the main plate and the plate adjacent thereto to said connecting portions, the connection between one of said plates and the spring seat including a pin and a bushing eccentrically mounted on the pin and passing through an eye in said plate.

13. The combination, with a vehicle body frame and axle, of a spring, means pivotally connecting the central portion of the spring to the frame, a spring seat rotatably mounted upon the axle and having two connecting portions spaced apart in the direction of the length of the spring, one of said connecting portions extending beyond the other, means connecting the main plate to the shorter projecting portion and means connecting the plate adjacent to the main plate to the other connecting portions, the connection between the he -m entioned plate and the spring seat including a pin. a nd a bushing cccentrically mounted on the pin. and passing through an eye in said. plate.

14. The combination with an axle member and a vehicle body member. of a spring, means connecting the central or body portion of the spring to one of said members, and means connecting two of the plates to the other member at points longitudinally.

spaced, one of such connections being a yielding connection.

'15. The combination, with a vehicle body frame and axle, of a spring, means pivotally ronnccting thrcentral or body portion of said spring to the frame, a yielding connection between one end of the spring and the l'rame, a rotary spring seat on the axle, and

means connecting longitudinally spaced portions of the other end of the spring to said seat.

16. The combination, with a vehicle body frame and axle, oi a spring having its central or body portion pivotally connected to the frame, a spring seat rotatably mounted on the axle and having two longitudinally spaced connecting portions, means connect ing correspondingly spaced portions of one end of the spring to such. connecting portions of the seat, and connections between the opposite end of the spring and the frame.

17. The combination, with a vehicle body frame and axle, of a spring comprising a main plate and one or more plates additional thereto, means pivotally connecting the cen tral or body portion of the spring to the frame, means yieldingly connecting one end of the spring to the frame, a spring seat rptatably mounted on the axle and having longitudinally spaced connecting portions, means connecting the main plate to one o1 said connecting portions, the plate adjacent to the main plate extending beyond the end of the main plate and reinforcing the same, and means connecting the end of the last mentioned plate to the other connecting portion of the spring seat.

18. The combination, with a vehicle body frame and axle, of a spring comprising inserts main plate and one or more auxiliary plates, means pivotally connecting the central or body portion of the spring to the frame, a

spring seat rotatably mounted on the axle,

means connecting the end of the main plate and the end of the plate adjacent thereto to longitudinally spaced portions of the spring seat, one of such connections being a longitndinally yielding connection, and means connecting the opposite end of the spring to the frame.

19. The combination, with a vehicle body frame and axle, of a spring comprising a main plate and one or more auxiliary plates, means pivotally connecting the central or body portion of the spring to the frame, a spring seatrotatably mounted on the axle, means connecting the end of the main plate and the end of an auxiliary plate to longitudinally spaced portions of the spring seat, one of such connections being a longitudinally yielding connection, and means con necting the opposite end of the spring to the frame.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aihx my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

MICHAEL M. MGINTYRE.

Wi tnesses J. B. HULL, Ber-semen B. Wear. 

